Majority populations’ deep ignorance about the world's Indigenous peoples has raised concerns in communities around the globe (Godlewska et al., 2020; Ranta & Kanninen, 2019; Taylor & Habibis, 2020). The challenge of mainstream ignorance lies in its structural connection to transnational, oppressive processes: it is not a matter of accidental "absence of knowledge", but a certain kind of knowledge, an engagement to discourses that invalidate and resist Indigenous experiences and identities (Cook, 2018). Since recognizing constraints of our current knowledge and assumptions is crucial for the onset of decolonization (Shahjahan et al, 2022), and since teachers have a unique role in distribution of knowledge and ideas, this paper is set to examine (1) how mainstream ignorance and approaches to dismantling it are conceptualized in six countries engaged in Indigenous education; Finland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Australia; and (2) how do these conceptualizations reflect on Finnish teacher education (TE) and outline alternative ways for its development.

The Sámi, Indigenous people inhabiting territories known today as Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia, are the only Indigenous people in the area of the European Union. European ignorance about the Sámi, and the alarming consequences this ignorance holds, has been recognized by Sámi communities and multidisciplinary professionals (e.g., OKM, 2021). Initiatives have been launched to raise awareness of Indigenous issues not only within Sámi states, but also at the EU level – increasing knowledge in EU policymaking is considered instrumental in promoting reconciliation and better conditions for Sámi people (Prime Minister’s Office, 2021; Saami Council, 2022). Finland, one of the official Sámi states, has received notifications from the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance on its deep national ignorance regarding Sámi matters and calls to address the issue through education (ECRI, 2019). This deficiency, as much of the critique of Finnish education’s incongruity in addressing social injustices, is often overshadowed in the discussions by Finland’s image as a country of equal and exemplary education (see Kasa et al., 2023). Thus, it is relevant to analyze the position Finland's prestigious TE holds in relation to the concepts of ignorance from global contexts and neighboring Sámi states, Sweden and Norway.

The research problems are approached through a thematic synthesis, a type of systematic literature review (Thomas & Harden, 2008). The research is ongoing and more information on the results will be available at the time of the presentation. However, some expected results can be outlined. The review is likely to find cohesion in the transnational conceptualizations of ignorance, considering the phenomenon's foundations in universal, colonial socio-historical processes. The suggested approaches to dismantling ignorance are expected to include both concrete and abstract focus points. In terms of concrete actions, various institutions have, for example, hired more Indigenous staff in educational institutions to support indigenization (Gaudry & Lorenz, 2019). More abstract are the calls to address the ignorance-driven discomfort toward Indigenous topics, experienced by majority educators (e.g. Higgins et al., 2015). 

Considering the goals of sustainable and equal systems binding all of Europe (UN, 2015), understanding of diversity has justly penetrated the guiding educational values in Finland. Making mainstream ignorance visible is a long-overlooked objective despite its great potential for reframing unsustainable structures, affecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples alike (Taylor & Habibis, 2020). Efforts to train educators to see and overcome these structures are an example of systematic means that can trickle down to the wider society (Rubin & Brown, 2019).

This paper approaches the issue of ignorance through thematic synthesis, a type of systematic literature review. The reviewed literature is drawn from peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters published between 2013 and 2022, with the context being at least one of the countries defined in the research problem (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia), and with a clear link to the phenomenon of mainstream ignorance about Indigenous peoples. The literature included in the review is not confined to the field of educational sciences, but the findings, and in particular the proposed approaches, will be examined and analyzed from the viewpoint of their applicability to teacher education. Thematic synthesis (see Thomas & Harden, 2008) allows for a deep exploration of the complex concept of ignorance by enabling formation of categories and examination of relationships between different conceptualizations. Despite the name of the approach, its aim is not only to "synthesize" and bring together existing findings, but also to create an overview and, through the emerging themes, novel theory on the "ontology" of ignorance. Literature and findings will be evaluated in light of other critical literature, illustrating that some used approaches, conceptualizations and means to dismantle ignorance may be more effective and unproblematic than others when evaluated by, for example, Indigenous peoples themselves. The second research question, on the relationship between Finnish TE and the conceptualization of ignorance emerging from the review, also addresses the power-relations of the Finnish system and Nordic discourses that shape what kind of improvements would be particularly necessary in Finland. As non-Indigenous researchers working to examine questions of colonial structures and contexts affecting Indigenous peoples, we are committed to conducting research with methods and data that allow us to disseminate information that is meaningful to a wide audience and contributes to benefiting Indigenous peoples' conditions and rights. We have the informed consent of the Finnish Sámi Parliament to the design and relevance of this research.

Through a literature review of studies conducted in the Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Canadian, Aotearoan and Australian contexts, we aim to explore how the concepts of and resolutions to mainstream ignorance of Indigenous peoples have been defined in three European Sámi states and in three other Indigenous contexts on different continents. The perceptions emerging in the review will be critically evaluated in relation to each other as well as to Finnish TE. In other words, the aim of the paper is to bring together definitions of mainstream ignorance to help future work in education and research in identifying the phenomenon and to create some research-based alternatives for developing Finnish TE. This paper concerns the second sub-study of the first author's doctoral research project. Although the final results are not yet available, they can be expected to be of interest to discussions of Indigenous matters that are rising in Europe along with the rest of the world. This study may contribute to the ongoing work to overcome ignorance and narrow cultural views in teacher education, and, thus, to wider advancements toward social justice: it has been argued that higher education promoting ignorance in their graduates is one of the main factors upholding unjust colonialist structures (Godlewska et al., 2020). Throughout this paper, we are clear that all Indigenous peoples and the contexts surrounding them are unique, and we are wary of any attempts to generalize a concept regarding one specific community to another. However, aware of the rather apparent similarities regarding the manifestations of ignorance observed in different countries, we contend it is worthy to make use of the shared knowledge and learn from successful processes that have emerged in different contexts, in order to imagine new transformative practices.

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